On 15 May, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Linas Linkevičius met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro Srđan Darmanović, who is visiting Lithuania. The Foreign Ministers discussed possibilities for strengthening bilateral cooperation, aspirations of Montenegro's EU membership, the situation in the Western Balkans, important issues of regional security and cooperation.

"Montenegro is a frontrunner in the European integration process. It is a reliable partner of the European Union's foreign policy. We support the country's aspirations to become an EU member state," stressed Lithuania's Foreign Minister.

In the meeting, Linkevičius said that Lithuania was ready to cooperate and share its experience in the fields of economic diplomacy, strategic communication, and resilience to hybrid threats. The country's institutions that share Lithuania's experience of European integration with Montenegro have already implemented three EU Twinning projects in the fields of rural development, human resources and audit control.

The head of Lithuania's diplomacy also noted that the accession of Montenegro to NATO in 2017 reflected the country's commitment to common values and contributed to international security and stability in the region.

Montenegro, which declared independence in 2006, is NATO's newest member country and has made the most significant progress in accession negotiations as an EU candidate country. Montenegro began accession talks with the EU in 2012. Out of a total of 35 negotiation chapters, 30 chapters have been opened.